Little van der Woodsen
by lovemeforeverandever
Summary: What if Serena van der Woodsen has a younger sister? Who's also Eric's twin. When Serena leaves, Elisa doesn't know how she'll survive alone without her older sister. When Serena comes back, things are just simply too late. Can Elisa ever be healed? Or wil a certain Bass be the one to pick up the pieces?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is a GG fanfiction and also a Chuck Bass fanfiction. There will be no _Chair_. And I'm excited because I'm going to be writing interesting ships that I've always been curious to write about.**

 ** _Eventual_ : Nate/Jenny. MAYBE a little Dan/Blair (not sure yet which couples will end up with who yet, besides my own character. I'm not sure yet who Serena will be paired off with. She might end up with either Nate or Dan, maybe someone else, who knows. Lol.**

 **I don't care for Vanessa's character, so I'm not worrying about her love life at the moment.**

 **I have never read a story like this before. If there is one similar to any of it then it is merely a coincidence. I'm not one to copy other's work.**

 **Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. (:**

 **Also as a disclaimer I do not own Gossip Girl. I'm just obsessed with the television show.**

 **Chapter One:**

Elisa's bright green eyes flutter open as the sun light drifts through the large window beside her bed.

The young girl instinctively wipes her sleep filled eyes with the palms of her hands. She looks up and in shock, as she finds a tall blond sleeping in the chair beside her bed.

Elisa sits up and leans her back against the head board letting the white sheets fall comfortably on her lap. Leaning over she grabs the older girl's knee and shakes it gently.

"Serena, hey. Wake up."

After a couple more shakes Serena awakes from her deep slumber. Smiling sleepily towards her younger brunette hair colored sibling.

"Elisa, hey! How are you?" She speaks up, completely awake now as she sits up in the chair straightening out her back.

Elisa gives her a knowing look and a half-hearted shrug. "I've been better."

"'Lis, I know I've been a terrible sister. I'm so happy to see you."

That was all Serena can say at the moment. She knew she had problems she had to fix with her two younger siblings, yet she didn't know how or what to say to them exactly. Especially since she felt as if it was too late to fix anything between her and Elisa now.

There was silence for a long moment before Elisa finally replied.

"Everyone must be wondering why you're back."

Elisa knew that rumors must be spreading around on Gossip Girl this very moment. Everyone wondering why the Serena van der Woodsen had came back after being gone all this time. To be fairly honest, Elisa herself is a little surprised to see Serena came home so quickly after the...incident.

Serena nodded, "Yeah, but none of them mentioned you."

"Just like Mom wants, right?"

Their Mother Lily enters the room, catching Elisa's comment. She's a tall blond woman with wide eyes an intimidating calmness that simply radiated off of her.

"What do I want, baby? For Serena sleeping in her own bed, like Eric is. Possibly wearing pajamas."

Serena responded, oblivious to Elisa looking down at her interlocked fingers sadly. "Morning, Mom. I was just about to ask the doctors if I can take Elisa to breakfast. Want to come?"

"Uhm, what I think I'll do is get her a croissant down the street." Lily replied, her voice even and calm. She leaves the room and an angry Serena storms after her.

"Serena, don't!" Elisa exclaims as the doors shuts behind her older sister, leaving her suddenly all alone. Again.

After walking down the hallway fairly quickly, Serena had caught up to her mother.

"Let me guess. You told everyone Elisa is visiting Grandpa in Rhode Island." Serena glares at her mother, crossing her arms above her chest.

"Your Aunt Carol in Miami." admitted Lily.

Elisa has been staying at this Ostroff Center for rehabilitation for a couple weeks now. As far as she knows, Elisa barely gets to leave her room and has been hiding there ever since she left the hospital.

Serena gasps. She can't believe her own mother is treating her sister like this. "So you're actually hiding her. She tries to take her own life and you're worried it will cost you Mom of the year?" she spat.

Lily glares at her oldest daughter. Disapproving of the attitude she is receiving from her. "Serena, you've been gone. Doing who knows what with God knows who-"

"I told you. Boarding school was not like that."

Lily sighs. It was clear to Serena now, how stressed her mother has been lately. "As happy I am to have you home, you have no idea what it's been like."

"How is Eric dealing with all this?" Serena asks. She hasn't seen or talked to Eric yet since she's been back.

Lily closes her eyes for a second. Rubbing the creases on her forehead, soothing what looked to be a tension headache.

"Eric's been avoiding coming to see her. He feels guilty. He's sent her flowers every few days now since she's been admitted, but that's the only form of contact he gives her." A sad frown now upon her lips.

Serena's eyebrows crease together in confusion. "Guilty? Why would he be guilty?"

"Eric has been off doing his own thing since you've been gone. He's been secretive lately and was never around much. I mean, they're twins and he feels like he hasn't been taking care of her like he should have. He was the one who found her in the..." Lily trailed off, suddenly not able to say the words. She couldn't speak of the worst day of her life. She didn't want to relive it again.

Serena shook her head, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She remembers the dreadful phone call she received from her little brother that day. The way his voice cracked over the phone, and how he couldn't explain what he had seen because he would break into a sob. It was the first time she had heard from him in months. And she is sad to say that it was about her sister dying, that made her brother call her one late afternoon.

She sniffed, wiped her nose with a tissue in her purse. Her and Lily were silent for a lone while. Until Serena finally got the courage to ask her.

"Do you know why she...?"she trailed off, not wanting to say those words.

Lily was staring down at the ground. Her eyes filled with pain and sorrow. Something so serious, that Serena has never seen before in her mother's eyes.

"She felt alone."

The next day while Elisa is in the room by herself, reading a Vogue magazine, Serena walks in with a broad smile on her face.

"I talked to the nurse and I'm kidnapping you."

Elisa's green eyes widen. A feeling of excitement and fear well up in her all at once. Feelings she hasn't felt in a very long time.

"We're going shopping. Aren't we?" Elisa asks, laughing lightly. Oh, how good it felt to laugh again!

"We're going to Wendells. Just for an hour though. I've had a bad day." Serena explains as she smiles, glad to see her sister laugh again.

"Really? Cause I had a great day. A couple of pills, a Vogue magazine was given to me by mother, and they had this green jelly for lunch." spoken sarcastically by Elisa.

"Mmm. Yummy. Come on, lets go before Mom shows up."

Serena drags Elisa out of bed and Elisa gets dressed in skinny jeans, a white tank top, and a gray cardigan that was given to her by Serena.

Elisa honestly didn't know how she felt being back with her sister again. A part of her was still angry at her for leaving and wasn't ready to forgive her yet. But another part of her is really happy that Serena is at least trying with her and is showing that she is here for her. She decided to simply put her emotions on hold for a moment and just spend a nice afternoon with her sister.

Walking into Wendells, Elisa and Serena take a look around. Both oohing and awing and the fabulous dresses.

Serena glanced at the dresses, telling her which ones she wanted to try on not bothering to glance at the prices. The two of them had enough money to buy hundreds of dresses if they wanted to.

"How was boarding school?" Elisa decides to try to make small talk so that this evening doesn't turn out as awkward as she suddenly started to feel.

Serena smiles slightly. "It was alright. Nothing like home, that's for sure."

"Have you seen Blair or any of your other friends yet?" Elisa asked, slightly envious of her sister's freedom, but at the same time she knew she wasn't ready to face a bunch of people yet.

Serena sighed before explaining everything to Elisa about what happened when going over to Blair's house during her mother's party and what had happened earlier that day in Serena's first day back at Constance-their rich-fancy private school.

Elisa is a freshman along with her twin brother while Serena is a junior. Elisa hadn't started school there yet since she has been at the center.

Serena's best friend Blair seems to be giving her a hard time because she had gone away, without much of a phone call or a letter explaining her departure.

Elisa nodded her head as she glanced at few short violet colored dresses with spaghetti straps. A frown now making it's way to her face when she realizes she can never wear a dress like that.

Serena, now noticing her sister's frown, raises a questioning eyebrow her way. "Elisa, are you okay? What's wrong?"

Elisa absentmindedly scratches her left forearm as she continues to stare at the violet colored dresses. When she feels Serena's cold hand now over hers, she backs away quickly. Shaking herself out of her reverie.

"No-nothing." The younger girl stutters out as she walks away and continues to glance at more dresses, as if nothing had just happened.

Serena opens her mouth to question her but stops when the two of them hear a loud voice from across the store.

"Hi, Serena!" The two sisters look over to seen a tall skinny blond who looked to be about Elisa's age.

"Hey, Jenny, right?" Serena asks as she walks over to the girl, leaving Elisa confused that Serena knew the younger girl.

The girl now known as Jenny nods her head, "Yeah."

Serena gestures towards Elisa. "This is my..."

"Stylist and personal shopper. Elisa, hi." Elisa introduced herself, laughing lightly.

Jenny turns around and then turns right back to face them with an odd look on her face. She was carrying a pretty dress in her hand.

"So, is that your dress for the Kiss on the Lips Party?" Serena asked her while Elisa mentally frowned. Jenny was going?

Jenny shrugged. "Sort of. Speaking of that." Jenny hands Serena an invitation. "Here, I made you one during free period, but if anyone asks, I know nothing."

Elisa laughed lightly and Serena smiled.

"Thanks." she told Jenny.

Elisa and Serena start to walk away, but Serena stops and turns back around to tell the young freshman. "Jenny, that dress would look even better in black."

Walking out of Wendells quickly, hoping to get back to the center before their mother gets there, Elisa accidentally bumps into someone who was passing by quickly on the street.

"Hey, watch it-" the stranger starts to say until his dark black eyes meet the light green hazel ones. A feeling of familiarity reaches him.

A wide smirk reaches the corner of the familiar man's lips. Suddenly Elisa feels sick to her stomach and Serena groaned aloud at their bad luck.

"What are the odds we'd bump into Chuck." Serena grumbled under her breath.

"Well, well, well. What's little van der Woodsen doing in Manhattan? I thought you were in Miami?" Her narrowed his eyes questioningly. Causing Elisa to quickly feel uneasy.

"Uh..." Serena's mouth was gaped and she couldn't think of anything quick enough to say.

Luckily for her, Elisa had been thinking of a cover up incase of getting caught by someone they know the moment she left the center.

"My Aunt Carol has business here in New York. I'm just visiting and heard Serena was in town again so we came to Wendells to shop for an hour for some bonding time. My flight leaves tonight and I return back to Miami with my Aunt."

Chuck looked like he didn't buy a word Elisa had just said.

He sneered down at her, "Why are you staying in Miami anyway?" he asked. He hadn't heard the reason for her stay there from anyone. No one seemed to know why both the van der Woodsen sisters aren't staying in the Big Apple.

Elisa gulped. She hadn't expected that question. "Just wanted to visit my Aunt. I didn't want to stay at The Palace for the time being with my mom and sister while we're renovating."

Chuck scoffed, "What's so wrong about The Palace?" he said, clearly offended by her remark of his father's hotel.

Chuck Bass in the definition of trust fund play boy. He's slept with half of Manhattan- at the least- and rides a long stretch black limo every day to school. He's a junior like Serena and they've all known each other practically all their lives. They're acquaintances'-at the most.

"Nothing." Elisa replied back cooly. "I just didn't want to be under the same roof of scum like you." with that, Elisa bumped his shoulder purposely and walked off down the street. Never turning to look back.

Serena follows her sister quickly, not looking in Chuck's direction. Even though she knew, without having to look back behind her, that he was glaring daggers at the both of them.

 _Spotted: Little E back in the upper East Side. What are you and S hiding? I'll be the first to know. You know you love me._

 _XOXO,_

 _Gossip Girl_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N- Trigger warning for cutting. I don't think this chapter would be a good read if you have history with this issue. It's pretty heavy.**

 **I'm addressing this because in GG they never really addressed what Eric had went through much and I felt like I should address Elisa's point of view.**

 **I THINK EVERYONE IS AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL AND THAT EVERYONE'S LIFE IS WORTH IT. EVEN IF YOU FEEL ALONE THERES SOMONE OUT THERE WHO CARES. TRULY.**

 **Chapter Two: **

_Gossip Girl: I bet you're wondering what Gossip Girl is doing up so early. Truth is, I never went to bed. Why waste precious time dreaming when waking life is so much better?_

Elisa and Serena sat back in Elisa's bedroom at the Ostroff Center the morning after the _Kiss on the Lips_ party.

Serena was explaining to Elisa how her date, Dan Humphrey, also known as Jenny's older brother, had simply waved good-bye to her that night.

Elisa had scoffed, and tried to hide back a giggle but failed miserably. "So he just waved?"

"Maybe he was trying to be funny..." said Serena, trying to make reason with it.

Elisa nodded her head. "Maybe he's just shy."

"Or he hated me." Serena spoke sadly.

Elisa ran her hand through her dark brown locks in annoyance. She shook her head firmly, "No guy in the history of the world ever hated you, Serena."

Serena sighed loudly. Oblivious to Elisa's sudden dark look that had taken over her features. "I don't know then."

"Honestly, you're probably just reading into it too much. Maybe he's never been on a date before or something. Who knows." Elisa shrugged. "I still can't believe Chuck had done that to Jenny. And what he did to you!"

Serena shook her head, glaring down at the floor beneath her feet. "I can. He's Chuck."

And that simple thought left a bitter taste in Elisa's mouth. "Yeah, but, pushing himself onto a girl? Why would he do that? He knows he can get any girl he wants."

Serena sighed again. "Why are you trying to make sense of this, Lis?"

Elisa shook her head, looking up at the bare white colored wall. She was scratching her right shoulder looking deep in thought.

She couldn't tell her sister that Chuck was a hero of some sorts in her eyes when she had been younger. That she had admired the older boy for so many years, that hearing such things, brings a sudden pain to her heart that she cannot bare.

Even though her actions speak differently from the other night when she had stood up to him, sounding like she despises him as much as anyone else. It's because her silly admiration was not something she made publicly known, and well, she just simply knew how to handle Chuck Bass in situations such as those.

Serena continued, "You know Chuck's not a good guy. He does whatever he wants whenever he wants and doesn't care for anyone else but himself. It's who he is and who he always will be."

"I just...thought he was different, I guess."

After Serena had left, Elisa found herself all alone. She tried to sleep, because staying awake and being alone caused dark thoughts to enter her mind, and she needed no such thoughts. Her doctor has gotten her to open up, not much to her liking. Telling her that she has a right to live in this world. Constantly asking her why she thinks _those_ thoughts all the time.

No one would understand. Living in her older sister's shadows and her mother's. Going through life being compared to Eric and his academics. Having your mother be gone all the time and having new father figures come and go as though they were never really there in the first place. Then her sister ups and leaves. No goodbye. Her brother becomes distant and she rarely ever seems him as much as she had before. Her best friends turn their backs on her because they found her...scars.

So she gave up. She was tired of looking in the mirror and feeling so un-pretty because her sister was this tall glamorous model and she was plain-Jane. She hated being alone. No one was there for her.

So she did _it_ , so deep one day that everything went black, and all of a sudden, she felt free.

Then she woke up, and found herself lost and alone in this world. Again.

Instead of attending Chuck's father's brunch like his mother and sister, Eric went and visited Elisa. It was his first time seeing her since he had found her in their bathroom.

It was awkward at first. Neither of them knew what to really say.

"So..." Eric started off, tapping the palms of his hands against his thighs as he looked around the small but spacious room, "what's it like here?"

Elisa shrugged, leaning against the black headboard with the pillows piled up behind her. "It's boring. There's nothing to do besides watch some television and walk around the courtyard every once in a while. But of course, I have to have supervision if I do so."

Eric frowned at that. "I hate how mom's just keeping you here. Hiding you away like-"

She interrupted him, "It's fine. I'm honestly am not that ready to face the real world yet, so this isn't as terrible as it seems."

Her fingers found a piece of string that was detaching itself from the bed sheets. She absentmindedly started to play with it, keeping her head focused on the television in front of her.

"Did Serena tell you that someone spotted you and ratted you out to Gossip Girl?" He asked his twin sister with a worried expression on his features.

Elisa scoffed and rolled her large dark green eyes. "It was probably Chuck. Serena and I had a run in with him when leaving Wendells."

Eric shook his head while looking up at the ceiling. Then he bent down and rested his head in his hands. Running his hands though his dark blond hair tiredly.

"You guys should've been more careful, Liss."

Elisa had to fight back the urge to roll her eyes again.

"It's fine, and honestly I don't really care who knows. It's Mom who's worried about it."

Eric looked back up at his sister as he asked, "Mom visits a lot, right? Everyday?"

Elisa shrugged again. "The first week, yeah. Then it started becoming less and less time spent here because she had other engagements to attend to. She started staying a bit longer again when Serena came back. Probably afraid of Serena bailing me out or looking bad in front of her."

"How can you just sit there and not care about any of what you had just told me?" He had to ask. It's been bugging the back of his mind now.

"Because, Eric." Elisa let out a deep sigh. "I stopped caring _along_ time ago."

Eric cringed at how emotionless she sounded, and he believed her. She truly doesn't give a damn no more.

"I'm sorry I didn't visit with you at all after..." He trailed off knowing she knew what he meant and didn't want to bring it up with her.

Elisa didn't really want to accept his apology. Her brother had taken the coward's way out and avoided her ever since it happened. He got to go on and pretend nothing was wrong while she laid here these past weeks contemplating the worst decision of her life. Simply thinking of the what-ifs.

He went on after taking in her silence. "I've thought about you everyday. Ever since it happened. Mom had me see someone because I couldn't sleep the first week. I just had nightmares. Seeing you there-"

Elisa held up her right hand. Stopping her brother from continuing. She didn't want to hear it. She couldn't handle it if she did. She also didn't want to see him so worked up, she can see the tears about to escape his eyes already.

He stopped talking and remained quiet. He waited for her to speak. He knew she had something to get off her chest.

Looking down at the sheets in front of her, she started to play with the piece of string again as she apologized.

"I-I'm sorry for what I had put you through. What I had done was selfish. I didn't think about anyone else but how I felt." She lied.

She figured no one would miss her.

She thought everyone was better off without her.

Maybe she was wrong.

Eric placed his hand over his mouth. He was holding back the sob that wanted to escape.

He had to ask. It's been on his mind ever since that night. He needed to know.

"Why? Why, Liss? We all love you so much. You mean so much to us. Why put us through that?"

Tears were now falling between the two twins. So much emotion and love was felt throughout the room.

She shook her head. She had to tell someone other than her doctor. Who better than her twin?

"I-I was alone, Eric." She hiccuped as sobs made its way to the back of her throat.

And just like that, every little thing she felt the past two years of her life, was spilled. And Elisa has never felt more relieved.

Chuck Bass was searching.

Looking for any detail and where abouts to where Miss Little van der Woodsen could be.

Ever since he had seen her the other night he couldn't help but realize how fishy and rehearsed sounding her little story was. So he took the liberty and looked up flights that night. And what do you know, there was no flight to Miami at all.

He talked to Lily at his father's brunch, trying not to sound suspicious.

"So, how's Elisa?" He asked her as he made his rounds.

Lily looked up from her champagne glass, looking at Chuck in mild surprise.

"Ah, Charles. Good afternoon. Elisa is fine, thank you for asking." She answered simply. She found it strange how he only asked for Elisa and not Eric as well.

His eyes narrowed slightly but he cleared his throat and became smooth.

"Why is she in Miami, again? I had forgotten the reasoning."

Lily was shocked by the question but tried not to show it.

She answered cooly, "She's visiting her Aunt Carol. Carol needed help with moving to her new house and Elisa volunteered."

"Really? Because Elisa didn't mention that when I talked to her the other night."

He's so close. Chuck can feel it.

Lily's eyebrows furrowed closely together in a look of confusion and surprise. "You talked with Elisa? Over the phone? I wasn't aware you two were close." She spoke, suddenly now cautious of her words.

How did Elisa get ahold of a cell phone? She thought worriedly. Did Serena let Elisa borrow hers? And when did her and Charles become friends? They're two years apart. She's never seen them once hang around each other unless needed to.

Chuck hid his smirk. "No, actually I ran into her and Serena outside of Wendells." He spoke as Lily was taking a sip of her champagne.

Lily started coughing, causing other people around the large room to look their way.

Chuck put his hand on her back and patted it. "Are you okay?" He asked, feigning worry.

She nodded her head, now standing up from the table. "Yes. Now will you excuse me, I need to speak with my daughter."

Chuck smirked as she walked away and headed towards where Serena stood with that Brooklyn boy who shouldn't even be here.

So Lily didn't know Elisa was wandering around Manhattan? What secrets is that family hiding?

Chuck will find out himself. And when he does, Elisa is going to wish she never spoke so rudely to him ever again.

 _Gossip Girl: Spotted: Chuck Bass looks like he's on a mission. I wouldn't want to be the one to go up against him._

 _You know you love me._

 _Xoxo,_

 _Gossip Girl_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N-** **I know that there's a part in this chapter that might seem confusing or you guys will think I'm rushing the story, but what Chuck says, isn't what it sounds like. He means it in a friend way. Just letting you know.**

 **Chapter Three:**

 _Gossip Girl: There's plenty of upside to being the spawn of the fabulously wealthy. But the down side? Super successful parents expect nothing less from their offspring. And when it comes to college, that means the Ivys. It's more than just getting into college, it's setting a course for the rest of your life. And for those few who aren't legacies, the pressures are no less. When parents have sacrificed for their children's futures, what kid would want to let them down._

Serena was running late for school. She had to make it in time for the assembly but she had spent the night visiting her sister.

Lily walks into the room. "You know, you shouldn't have stayed at your sister's again. I mean why sleep there? It's not like she can even see you- her eyes are closed."

Serena's eyes snapped to her mother's. Her facial expression turning into a stony glare. "Do you have one maternal organ in your entire body?" She snapped.

Now she was late.

Blair Waldorf is Queen B. Also is Serena's ex-best friend. They are currently in a feud. Since Serena had slept with Nate, Blair's boyfriend, which is the reason why Serena had left in the first place.

To get back at Serena, Blair needs answers first. So she calls the one person she knows will get her them.

"Heard about the field hockey throw down. All those mouth guards and short skirts. I hope somebody filmed it." Chuck's rough voice filled in on the other line of the phone call.

"You're heinous." Blair spoke in disgust.

"Which is probably why you called."

Blair smirked, "You know me well."

Chuck scoffed. "Women like to pretend their complicated. I know better."

Blair finally cut to the chase. Not wanting to speak with him any longer.

"Serena came back for a reason."

Chuck wasn't going to tell her how he had seen Elisa outside of Wendells not too long ago. That was for his own personal gain. Besides, the two things must have nothing to do with each other. Right?

"One can only guess..." He trailed off.

Blair snapped. "I'm done guessing. I want answers. And no one likes to be on the ground floor of a scandal like Chuck Bass."

Chuck shrugged, knowing she doesn't see him. "I am a bitch when I want to be."

Blair smirked, "Opportunity to cause some trouble. Uncover a secret."

"It's a yes for an answer."

Serena visits Elisa later that day. Not knowing she was being followed at all. By a familiar limo. With a familiar person inside, who is known as Chuck Bass.

Too bad Chuck wasn't smart enough to put two and two together.

"I talked mom into letting you go to the mixer with us." Serena beamed at her younger sister.

Elisa smiled slightly. Part of her was nervous and the other was kind of excited to get out of this place.

She felt really good. And she was starting to get happier. Being close with Serena and Eric again made her remember her relationships with her siblings and how much she treasured all their time together. She's starting to remember what it feels to love again, and be loved back.

"That actually...sounds kind of nice."

Serena let out a breath of relief. "That's great. I was afraid you'd be too nervous to go or something. I'm glad you're coming along." She leaned over and held her sister's hand in her own.

"So...you're fighting with Blair? And you're trying to get her Yale position while she's probably trying to get your Brown one?" Elisa asked trying to catch up with the latest.

Serena nodded tiredly.

Elisa scoffed. "You're all pretty childish. And there's a pretty big chance that you're all going to screw up your futures because something bad's going to happen. Something bad _always_ happens."

Who would've thought Elisa was so close to the truth?

 _Gossip Girl: Spotted Again: Little E making an appearance. Where've you been hiding?_

Dressed in tight dark skinny jeans, black high heels, a white top and a black long sleeve cardigan, Elisa stood with her mother, sister, and brother, her hand was shaking and she was slightly nervous.

Eric gave her an encouraging smile and squeezed her shoulder lightly.

Lily turned to her youngest daughter, "If you get all anxious, sweetie, if you feel light headed or panicky-"

Elisa interrupted her, "I'm fine, Mom. All I have to do is be normal." Lily nods and walks into the room where the party is being held.

"Or at least try to act normal." Finished Elisa nervously.

Serena squeezed Elisa's right forearm, "Works for Mom."

The three siblings walk in together.

After a while of making her rounds and greeting people she knew. Elisa found her mother with Bart Bass. Chuck's father.

"Hey, Elisa. How was Miami?" He asks her kindly. Trying to make conversation.

She nods her head awkwardly, "It was good, thanks. You know, go Marlins."

With that she turned on her heel and walked away quickly. She sounded so dumb. She mentally face palmed herself.

A gasp escapes her when someone turns the corner shocking her with an amused expression on their face.

"Go Marlins?" Chuck asked amused.

Elisa who is breathing heavily trying to catch her breath with her hand over her chest finally mumbled, "Uh- yeah. Just-your father makes me nervous. That's all." That wasn't a complete lie. He does make her nervous. He's so intimidating. But no one makes her nervous more than Chuck, that's for sure.

Chuck narrowed his eyes. His hands stuffed in his suit pants pockets. His dark brown hair was combed nicely and his dark black eyes bored into hers.

"Why does it seem like every word that comes out of your mouth lately is a lie?"

 _That's because it is_. Elisa thinks to herself.

Elisa's eyes narrowed along with his. "Why are you so obsessed with everything I do, Bass?"

Chuck didn't even blink. "Because..." He started as he circled Elisa. Taunting her. "You interest me. Why, oh why, have you been missing? Why haven't you attended school? And why have you been lying about being in Miami?"

He stopped right in front of her. The two of them now face to face. Only a few inches apart from one another.

Elisa scowled. "What are you-" she crossed her arms above her chest but Chuck cut her off.

"Don't try to deny it. I have my resources and there is no way that you had gotten on a plane and went to Miami that night I saw you. I bet you've been in town ever since. Actually, I bet you've never even left."

Elisa's breath hitched in her throat and a feeling of dread and panic flooded into her chest. Her palms started to sweat and she started to feel slightly light headed. But she kept herself up straight and tall. She can get through this.

Their stare down was cut short when they notice something odd going on outside. The two of them exit out towards where everyone was to find Blair on the stage. Nowhere near where she is supposed to be.

Into the microphone Blair starts off, "Every year are schools choose to support one local institution that we feel benefits are community. This year are school has chosen the Ostroff Center. This semester our choice is a very personal one. Because the center has helped one of our own." The crowd became silent, everyone looking at one another wondering who was the person being spoken about.

Elisa's eyes widen in fear and notice Chuck smirking beside her. He whispers next to her ear, "Your sister's secret is about to come out. Maybe you should finally fess up to yours. Saves us the hassle."

Chuck then frowned when noticing the look on Elisa's face. The color was drained from her cheeks and she turned pale. She seemed to have ignored him and the look spoke more of someone in fear for themselves, not their sister.

Lily spoke up as she walked next to Serena who stood glaring up at Blair. Knowing very well what was about to happen. "What is going on here?"

Blair continued, "It's because of their excellent program which aids so many young addicts and alcoholics that a student here with us today is clean and sober. At least for now. Can I please have Serena van der Woodsen join me on stage. "

 _Gossip Girl: Spotted at the Ivy League Mixer: S and B's last stand. And only one gets out alive. Better take cover_.

Serena and Elisa make eye contact. Serena gives her sister a sure nod before heading to take the stage. Putting on a strong face.

Elisa instantly feels guilty. Her sister can kiss Ivy League goodbye now.

"I just want to thank my friend, Blair Waldorf, for recognizing the Ostroff Center and all the good things that they do. Thanks, Blair." Serena spoke flawlessly. Making Elisa feel proud to call her, her sister.

Elisa continued to ignore the strange look Chuck was giving her as she now stared worriedly at her mom and sister who were talking with one another.

After their heated conversation Lily rushed over to Elisa. "Let's go. Let's get out of here." She hadn't even noticed Chuck who was standing two feet away from Elisa.

Elisa shook her head. "There's someone I need to talk to first."

Elisa left her mom in a hurry and found who she was looking for. Too bad she didn't realize a certain Bass had been right behind her.

"Blair!" Elisa stopped Blair who turned around looking tiredly at Elisa. She didn't seem to want to talk to the younger van der Woodsen as well. Too bad Elisa doesn't care.

She went on, "Serena's not a patient at the Ostroff Center."

Blair sighed. "Elisa, you've always been a sweet kid and I can understand you trying to protect your sister-"

"I am." Elisa interrupted her.

Blair looked at her wide-eyes for a second. Before scoffing. "I've never seen you take a drink."

Elisa sighed. It was now or never. But she had to end this. She had to fix Blair and her sister. They couldn't continue like this.

"I'm not an alcoholic." Elisa spoke. Her voice rough and her hand shook as she rolled up the sleeve of her cardigan, showing her left wrist. Revealing a scar. "I did this. And today Serena protected me."

Blair gasped in disbelief. She shook her head, suddenly feeling guilty. "Elisa, I didn't-"

"See it coming? Yeah, well. It must be a shock for someone who thinks she knows everything." Elisa snapped before turning around and walking out of the long hallway. She needed to get away from this place and be left alone.

Turning down the corridor quickly, a strong hand grips her left elbow. Elisa fixed her glare up at the culprit.

" _Chuck, not now_." She spat with venom and annoyance.

She went to to continue walking on but with his hand still on her arm he pulled her back. Stepping forward his face was an expression she'd never seen before.

"That's where you've been? Hiding at the Center? Damn it, I thought it was Serena and told Blair. Why did you do it? How can you just-"

"Don't!" Elisa shouted. Her eyes filled with tears. "Don't act like you care what happens to me, Chuck. I know you. You don't care about anyone. I know what you did to Serena and Jenny. Hell, who knows what you've done to other girls-"

"Oh, please, Elisa. You know if there is anyone in the world I would consider caring about it'd be you-"

"You call that caring? It was just the moral thing to do, Chuck. Any normal human being would do that even to their worst enemy-"

"I saved your life, Elisa, because I cared whether you lived or died. I told you I'd be here for you if you ever got that way again. What happened-"

"Everything happened, Chuck!"

Chuck opened his mouth to speak again but Elisa cut him off.

"Goodbye, Chuck." With that she pulled herself with everything she got out of his grip on her arm and stalked down the hallway.

 _Gossip Girl: Spotted: Little E and Chuck. Are they having a lover's quarrel? Or is Little E simply just biting his head off? Is it tension in the air? Or is it something else? You know you love me._

 _Xoxo,_

 _Gossip Girl_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N- I didn't have any idea how to incorporate Elisa into the episode "Bad new Blair" so I'm doing a flashback for probably most of this chapter.**

 **Also, as things go on in the next few episodes I'm going to astray from the canon and probably not copy the episodes as much after a while only because the episodes won't make sense to my soon to be plot eventually. I'm changing a lot of things up and I'm excited as to see how this all goes.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four:**

 _July, 2005 (Two years ago ):_

 _It was a hot sunny day, just like any other summer day in the Hampton's. There wasn't a fluffy cloud in the bright blue sky._

 _The hot bright sun shined on her face, softening her features. Feigning peace amongst the young girl._

 _Yet, the young girl wasn't at peace at all. She was dealing with inner problems that going through life had brought upon her._

 _Elisa realized she was different and in her opinion not as pretty as the other girls. She would look at herself in the mirror every morning before school and hate what she saw in her reflection. She hated her short brown frizzy hair, she hated her green eyes, she hated her small boobs, she hated the baby fat she still held on her twelve year old body, and the slight acne blemishes that appear every so often on her face._

 _She didn't realize at the time that she was feeling down and unhappy about herself because she was depressed. She also didn't realize that the only reason she didn't talk much the entire time she had been at this party is because she has anxiety disorder and the thought of being around many other people bother her immensely._

 _Why would she be depressed? Maybe because her father had left. Maybe because her mother hadn't paid much attention to her all summer._

 _Maybe because her brother's report card was straight A's and her's was a B average. She had a difficult time with Pre-Algebra and Science._

 _Maybe another reason could be that Serena has had at least five boyfriends ever since she had turned eleven and Elisa can't even get one boy to admit he has a crush on her._

 _Growing up her twin brother only played with her up to the age of six. Then he moved on and made his own friends while Elisa had struggled to make some of her own. Elisa was quiet and shy, so making friends wasn't easy. Girls at a young age want to be friends with other loud spoken girls, not quiet ones._

 _This caused Elisa to get bullied a lot in elementary school. Eric had never noticed. No one did it in front of him or ever mentioned it around him, but some of the other girls in Elisa's class in second grade would tease her for being alone all the time and for having no friends._

 _One day Elisa had for the first time gotten physically bullied when one of the bigger bullies, Mia, pushed her because, supposedly Elisa had been in her way while they were standing in the lunch line. When Elisa had fallen to the ground, her dark blond hair (at the time) whipped around her face as her knees buckled and scraped against the pavement._

 _Her school uniforms was a solid navy blue skirt and a white button up top. Her knee high socks didn't help comfort the landing at all._

 _A nine year old boy with dark brown hair and a scowl carved into his eyebrows ran towards the two girls in a hurry._

 _"Hey, what are you doing?" He shouted at the taller bright blond haired girl that is standing up, glaring at the girl on the ground. Mia._

 _Her eyes widened and a sparkle flashed in them. She smiled brightly ignoring the groaning girl on the ground. "_ Chuck _, hi!"_

 _He didn't respond as he bent down and helped up the crying Elisa who now had sore bruised and scratched knees._

 _"Hey, you okay?" He asks the small crying girl who stood in front of him. He knew who she was, of course. It's Elisa van der Woodsen. She's Serena's younger sister, and she's the girl whose finger painting he had stepped on when he was in second grade and she was in kindergarten. He remembered her crying then and was afraid to see her crying now._

 _Elisa nodded her head, pretending she was completely fine. But Chuck saw right through it._

 _"Why don't you go to the nurse? She can clean up your knees for you and maybe you can go home today." He whispered to her, ignoring the look he was receiving from the popular second grader._

 _"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Chuck." She sniffed as she walked away slowly, feeling the burning feeling in her knees bother her badly._

 _When Chuck had_ thought _Elisa was out of ear shot, he glared at Mia. The girl who follows him around all the time, and that really annoys him too._

 _"Leave Elisa alone, Mia."_

 _Mia laughed. "I didn't do anything. She was standing in my way of the lunch line." She shrugged her shoulder feigning innocence._

 _Chuck shook his head, "That doesn't give you a reason to push her. She's_ my _friend and I think you should leave her alone for now on."_

 _"Ew. Elisa doesn't have friends." Mia laughed again._

 _"Well she has me."_

 _Elisa had heard every word spoken between the two. She had been hiding in the corridor of the cafeteria. She couldn't believe her ears. Chuck was her friend._

 _That was one of the incidents that had been why Chuck is a hero in Elisa's eyes. After the cafeteria mishap, Elisa had gained two friends by the time third grade had came around. There was no more bullying in her elementary school life and she became a normal girl, just like the others and ended up going to middle school with many friends and was considered popular._

 _The start of middle school for Elisa was like a dream. She made many new friends and was instantly popular and well known to all three grade levels._

 _Things take a turn though when Kim,a seventh grader who had a crush on Nate got upset when seeing him and Elisa talking one afternoon in the courtyard. What she didn't know was that Nate was giving Elisa advice on how to approach a boy in her grade that she had a crush on._

 _Kim was excited because Nate and Blair had broken up again and she was finally able to sneak her way into his heart and steal him._

 _Now she wasn't so sure._

 _One day at lunch time Elisa found her self being cornered in the hallway corridor by Kim and her minions._

 _"Stay away from Nate, freak!" Kim shouted in Elisa's face while her friends laughed in the background._

 _Elisa scowled back at the taller and older girl. "What? Nate's just my friend-"_

 _"He's mine! And I'm not going to let some sixth grader stand in my way. I don't care who you are or who your sister is-"_

 _"Is there a problem here?" His deep voice had cut off Kim and everything went silent._

 _Kim's eyes widened in fear and she turned around finding Chuck Bass standing there a glare formed on his features._

 _"Oh, hi, Chuck." Kim mumbled nervously. She wasn't used to him starting at her like that. Especially since this is the guy that had been her first kiss. No, wait, it was her second. Or was it her third?_

 _He took a step forward, looking past Kim and towards Elisa. "You alright, Elisa?"_

 _Elisa nodded her head slowly. What are the odds that Chuck Bass would save her twice?_

 _Kim took a second to look between the two of them before scoffing. "Don't tell me you're here to defend her?! She's just a sixth grader with no personality or looks. She's only popular because of Serena. Without Serena she'd be nothing, honestly."_

 _Chuck's glare hardened and he snapped before he even realized what he was doing. "And you'd be nothing if it wasn't for you whoring your self around to any guy that talks to you."_

 _Kim gasped and her minions all looked around at each other eyes wide. They were holding back their laughs._

 _Chuck took another step forward, now he was only inches away from Kim._

 _He continued, "Stay away from Elisa. Or you'll regret it, Graham." He called her surname, his glare intensifying when he saw her open her mouth to spat back at him but then changed her mind._

 _Kim flipped her long black hair behind her shoulder and gestured for her minions to follow her and they stalked down the hallway, but not before she glared in Elisa's direction and stated, " Just remember what I said, van der Woodsen."_

 _Ever since that day, Kim has made it her life mission to put Elisa down at any given moment._

 _Chuck didn't know what was going on. He had moved on and had his own drama to deal with. Besides Elisa didn't tell him, like he asked her to if Kim had decided to keep picking on her._

 _She didn't want to bother him with her business._

 _Over the rest of her sixth grade year, Elisa had bunked down from popularity to only having a couple friends. Everyone stopped considering her to be popular when Kim started to pick on her quite frequently._

 _Now, here she stood, on the dock over the large lake. Her light blue summer dress moved as the breeze of the wind flew by her bringing her hair along with it. Taking in a deep breath she thought over the past couple of weeks. The way her mother blatantly ignored her when she asked to not come along on the trip._

 _Visiting the Hampton's and staying with the Archibald's, Waldorf's, and Bass's, didn't seem appealing at all to Elisa. They're currently all at Nate's Hampton house celebrating Nate's, Blair's, Serena's, and Chuck's graduation from middle school._

 _While all the kids gathered around laughing and talking with one another while the parents talked and drank under the canopy, Elisa wandered off, knowing no one would notice her gone._

 _She's been gone for a half-hour the least, so she knew she was right. Sadly._

 _She remembers the fight she had with Blair and Serena earlier. The two girls wanted to go swimming and Elisa wanted to join as well. When she went down there to join them in the water Serena shooed her away saying she had to talk to Blair about things that didn't involve middle schoolers._

 _Elisa had felt hurt at first but then realized that she doesn't belong. So she wen out to find Eric and see if he wanted to spend some time with her. Instead she found him playing around with a boy their age that she recognized from school. When she started making her way towards them the two ran away in sight of her laughing, not noticing her now sudden sad facial expression._

 _When she had walked back to the yard she found the four of them all surrounded on a gray picnic bench talking and laughing with one another. The girls had towel wrapped around them as their hair dripped wet from the water. The boy were in tanks and shorts looking comfortable in the summer heat._

 _That was when she walked off._

 _This wasn't new. Her siblings have treated her this way for some time now. She just wished it was different._

 _She wonders if anyone will miss her if she left. Permanently at that. Would anyone care? Would her siblings cry? Would her mother understand? Would her father know?_

 _She wanted to be gone. She didn't want to go back to school the next year and see Kim and her minions pick on her again. Call her ugly, fat, and worthless. The things she feels now because she truly believes those words. That's what she sees in the mirror._

 _So she did it. She stepped off the dock falling straight into the water._

 _She didn't fight it. She left the water pull her in and bring her deeper and deeper under. She let her self drown. She welcomed it._

 _Chuck wandered off away from the group saying he had to go do something but that was a lie. He's looking for Elisa. He hasn't seen her in over a half-hour and is worried._

 _He saw Eric and his friend come back and Elisa wasn't with them which made him more nervous. He didn't want to tell the others what he was thinking in case Elisa was fine and he looked as if he_ cared _for the younger girl._

 _He couldn't have that._

 _Walking through the trees towards the lake he heard a sudden splash. He felt his heart drop as he stopped mid-step and stared straight ahead to the direction of the river. Without another thought he ran towards the dock._

 _Looking over the water when he made it to the edge of the dock, Chuck's throat felt dry and his heart hammered inside his chest when he noticed the small girl in a blue dress, faced down in the water._

 _On instinct he jumps in. He swam over to Elisa and pulled her onto his shoulder, leaning her over his back. He pulls her face away from the water and sees how sickly pale she is. He drags her out of the water and towards the shore._

 _Chuck quickly pushes her wet hair out of her face and pushes his ear against her chest._

 _He tried to remember the CPR training he had been forced to take during the summer. He pinched her nose, opened her mouth, and placed his over her's, breathing out. He pushed his hands above her chest, did a few pumps, then repeated the process._

 _After a couple more times, Elisa caught her breath, her eyes now open wide as she looks up to see Chuck Bass right above her._

 _She turned over and coughed up the water that was filled in her lungs. Chuck patted her back, a scowl formed on his face._

 _"Are you okay?" Chucks asks, breaking the silence._

 _She nodded her head sitting up with the support of Chuck. His arms are wrapped around her shivering self._

 _"What happened? Don't you know how to swim? I've seen you do it before-"_

 _Tears welled up in her eyes. She almost died. Chuck saved her. Again._

 _She shouldn't have done that. What was she thinking. She has much to live for, doesn't she? She should look forward to the future. Shouldn't she? Yet, why is she relieved yet disappointed of being saved at the same time._

 _Maybe because no one in her family had saved her. No one had seemed to even bother to look for her._

 _"I-I-" she stuttered, her head was pounding against her skull._

 _Chuck gulped suddenly having a bad feeling about this. "Please. Please, Elisa, don't tell me you jumped."_

 _Her head fell into his chest and she cried. Cried more than she ever had in so long._

 _Chuck's arms held onto her tightly, hearing her sob against his chest. He laid his head against the top of hers. His eyes closed shut as he whispers to her, "Never do that -if you're going through things-just-just talk to me, Elisa. Please."_

 _She continued to cry but she had heard every word and has never been more grateful._

* * *

 _August 2007 : _

_She went to him. There she stood outside the Palace. Waiting for him to show up. She needed to talk to someone. She needed to talk to him. If anyone could save her, it would be him._

 _He didn't noticed her as he exited the limo with a tall blond on his arm. Laughing as she whispers in his ear causing him to smirk._

 _He enters the hotel, not at all noticing the short brunette haired girl, who had never looked so lost._

 _Elisa went up to her suite, walking slowly, and so emotionless. She made the biggest mistake of her life that day._

* * *

 _Present Time:_

While Elisa stood there smiling at her sister and her friend taking pictures with each other, having a good time all dressed up in Central Park, she couldn't help but think of how lonely she really felt. Yes, she had her sister and brother, but they have their own lives. They can't be there for her all the time.

She's never had a best friend. She's had close friends over the years, but never a best friend. Now, she really wanted one.

A sudden tap on her shoulder causes her to turn around, her eyes widen.

"Chuck! What are you doing here?" She asks in surprise. Wasn't he busy this weekend?

He looks down and his eyes are filled with amusement and something else she can't quite figure out. "Good afternoon to you too, Elisa." he says sarcastically.

Elisa rolls her eyes, "You know what I meant. What? You're stalking me now or something?" She jokes.

Chuck smirks, "Or something."

Elisa tried really hard not to roll her eyes again. "My sister and Blair are over there-"

"I came to talk to you."

Elisa sighed, "Look, Chuck, I'm willing to just forget about everything that happened at the mixer and move on-"

He cut her off, now a serious expression appeared on his face, "If there is anything I learned this weekend, it's that I value friendship and the people I ... _care_ about." He cleared his throat before continuing, "I want us to be...friends-"

"Why?" Elisa deadpanned, her arms now crossed above her chest and she was glaring into his dark brown eyes. "We probably have nothing in common. We've never even had a nice conversation-"

"Look, all I know is that I care about you and since I rarely care for anyone but me, since I'm, well, Chuck Bass, I think that pretty much puts you in my small secluded group that I call friends."

After giving it some thought. Elisa gives in. She remembered how lonely she felt right before he showed up here. She doesn't want to feel that way anymore.

"Fine. Whatever."

He smirked. "Fine. Whatever."

* * *

 _Gossip Girl: Spotted in Central Park: Chuck Bass and Little E. They're looking a little cozy, don't you think? I wonder how long this will last? You know you love me._  
 _Xoxo,_  
 _Gossip Girl_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N- hello, lovely readers. I decided to skip episode five "Dare Devil" because I didn't find anything in that episode that I wanted to write about and I didn't feel like making this chapter some filler chapter, I decided to skip on to the next one. Hope you don't mind. (:**

* * *

 **Chapter Five** :

 _Gossip Girl: Couture and canapé are just another Saturday night until you add a mask. But preparing for a ball is an event in itself. Which is why Queens invented handmaidens._

* * *

Elisa couldn't help but glare at the two smirking girls who stood in her white and barren room at the Ostroff Center. Elisa was laying down lazily in the bed as Serena and Blair stood by the closed door, amused to have woken up the younger girl.

She shook her head as she pushed her face against her pillow, now lying on her stomach.

Elisa grumbled loudly into the pillow, "Why are you two here? On a Saturday morning, no less?" She picked her head up a little to look at the clock on her night stand. It read: 7:59 a.m.  
"Damn." She cursed and plottered her head back onto the pillow.

"Actually," she heard Serena speak up, "Blair has something to say."

Elisa groaned. "And why couldn't this wait 'til a more reasonable hour?" She scowled into her pillow.

Serena laughed, "Don't be a grump. Let Blair speak."

Clearing her throat, Blair spoke up, "I'm in inviting you to the Masquerade Ball tonight."

That surely caught Elisa's attention. Turning over she sat up in the bed, an eyebrow now raised. "I thought freshman weren't invited? Either way, I can't go. Kind of stuck here."

Blair shifted on her feet quite uncomfortably. "They aren't, but I figured I'd invite you. As an apology."

Serena cut in, "Also, mom will be out tonight. She won't know you're gone." She smirked wickedly.

Elisa scowled as she glared down at the comforter wrapped around her. "I don't know..." She wasn't sure if this was a good idea. Her going to a party with older people? All dressed in ball gowns and masks? _This is a recipe for disaster!_ "Where's Mom going tonight?" She asked Serena.

Serena gestured to Blair as she answered Elisa, "Eleanor's having a party. All the parents are going."

Elisa smiled slightly, "That's nice. Does Mom have a hot date?" she joked.

Serena shook her head, "She said she didn't... but anyways," Serena directed the conversation back to the original subject, "So? You want to go?"

Elisa shrugged, "I'm not sure this is such a good idea. I hardly got away with going to Wendell's and skipping off to Central Park with the two of you. What if we're putting my health as stake-"

Blair rolled her eyes, "You seem perfectly fine to me, E. "

"Yeah, " started Serena, "We both know Mom's only kept you here this long due to her reputation."

Elisa scowled, "Still. I'm dealing with a lot emotionally. What if something happens? Besides I'm not prepared for this on such short notice."

She couldn't look half as beautiful as Serena and Blair. That's for sure.

Blair and Serena glanced at each other smirking. Blair replied, "Already got that covered, Little E. I'm having Jenny Humphrey pick up your dress just as we speak."

Elisa's eyebrows raise in surprise, "Jenny's coming too? Two freshmen's are attending? I'm shocked Blair."

Blair scoffed in distaste. "I'm only breaking the tradition for you, E. I'm not doing it for Jenny as well. She's not worthy of it."

Elisa nodded her head in understanding. She didn't think it was really fair to do that to Jenny, but then again it is Blair Waldorf.

Blair had patched things up with Serena, and Elisa had forgiven Blair, sort of, by what she did at the mixer a while ago. It's still a bit of a touchy-subject for them all.

"So how intense is all of this?" Elisa had to ask.

Serena chuckled, "There's custom corsets, crowns, wigs..." Serena turned her attention to Blair, "What is this madness?"

Blair smiled in glee. "This is a masked ball. The goal is that nobody recognizes. But I expected a little something extra for Nate tonight. It's a game, a sort of treasure hunt. It will begin with an index, which will take him to a lady with honor, which will lead to a second index..." She trailed off, smirking happily to herself.

Serena's eyebrows raised, "Wait! You've got ladies?"

Blair responds, "If he finds me before midnight, before the mask comes off, the treasure is for him!"

"And what is it?" Serena asked. Blair smirked with a twinkle in her eye. "Oh!" Serena smoke as she understood.

Elisa's face twisted in disgust. "T.M.I."

Blair rolls her eyes, "Shut up, E. You sound like a nine year old."

"I'm fourteen-"

"Oh, please. Serena and I have talked worse at fourteen. We've also done crazy things."

Elisa rolled her eyes and ignored that comment. "Would I...need to bring a date?"

She hasn't talked to a boy her age in a very long time. She suspects no guys would want to go as her date, as usual.

"Hmm...no. I would like for you to bring one if that would make you happy but it's not required. Don't worry about being the only single one, Chuck isn't bringing a date either, I believe."

Serena crossed her arms as she rolled her eyes. "That's because he's going to harass any girl he meets there."

Elisa sighed as the thoughts of Chuck fled through her mind. She hasn't seen or heard from him since he found her at Central Park. Part of her was relieved for that, yet the other couldn't help but feel disappointed. If they were supposedly friends, then why wasn't he making a better effort?

Elisa asked Serena, "Are you brining Dan?"

Blair turned to Serena, raising an eyebrow, wondering as well.

Serena shrugged, "This isn't his sort of thing..."

Elisa and Blair rolled their eyes in unison.

Elisa wasn't going to push her sister on this subject, already knowing Blair was going to eventually do it anyway, "I'm still not sure."

Serena sighed, "Come on, you're starting school soon again, anyway."

With more pleading, Elisa gave in.

* * *

In the living room of Waldorf, Blair found Jenny by the staircase. Jenny was dropping off the last of what was on Blair's list.

"Uh, I think everything is there," said Jenny.

Blair smiles over at Jenny after glancing down at the items, "Thanks, you're an angel. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Jenny shrugged, "Nah, it's nothing. I thought it was fun."

"Good! Besides that you learn things." Blair notices Jenny wearing a diamond bracelet on her wrist. "And you seem to leans fast. Pretty bracelet. Vintage, right? The diamonds look real..."

Jenny took her hand away from Blair, "That's because they are. The head of the shop leant it to me."

Blair's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Why would he do that?" Noticing Jenny's embarrassed facial expression, Blair laughs, "Oh my, little Jenny. You didn't think you were coming tonight?"

Jenny bent her head down. Her cheeks now Crimson red of embarrassment. "I was hoping for a bit, maybe...yeah."

"You know freshmen don't attend the masquerade. It's tradition."

Jenny frowned, "Yeah, I know, but I figured since there were six dresses..."

"That's the bare minimum! What if I stain my dress? I need backup. Besides one is for Little E. You don't suspect her to get a dress on such short notice, do you?"

Jenny shook her head, "Well, no, but- wait, isn't she Eric's twin sister? Isn't she a freshmen too?"

Blair rolled her eyes, "It's different."

Jenny gave up after that. "Yeah, okay. Have fun tonight!" And with that she turned and walked out of the penthouse.

* * *

Who would have known that getting ready for a masked ball would be so...time consuming?

For the last three and a half hours, Elisa had her makeup, hair, and got fitted into her corset and ball gown.

After Blair had sent over her dress, a makeup artist and hair stylist came by the center as well. All thanks to Serena and Blair.

Her gown is is black and long. The front is low cut showing a small bit of cleavage, in an appropriate way of course. Her long dark hair is circle and the fronts are briefly pulled back. A black mask with silver little designs on it covers her face, showing her hazel eyes.

"You look gorgeous!" Serena exclaimed when she came to pick her sister up that night.

Elisa smiled shyly, as Serena gave her a hug. Serena introduced her to her date, which confused Elisa because she had thought Serena would end up bringing Dan.

They all got into the shared limo with Blair and headed off to the ball.

* * *

 _Gossip Girl: With us on the Upper East Side, appearances can be deceiving. Keep your eyes open and beware of familiar faces._

* * *

Chuck Bass wore a red suit with a red and black mask, his hair spiked. He resembled the devil in a suit.

Nate stood beside him, with a scowl formed on his face. He looked troubled and not in the mood to play Blair's little game.

Chuck's eyes lingered on every girl there. A small smirk etched on the tip of his lips. Yet, his eyes stopped. He felt his whole body freeze as he admired the unfamiliar woman who wore a long ball gown, as dark as night. Her hair in perfect curls, and her mask brightened her beautiful hazel eyes.

He noticed her dark red lips, and how the young woman subconsciously licked them. She stood in the far off corner by herself, watching and observing the dancers other people who pass her by.

Chuck has never seen someone, so, enchanting. He doesn't even know her name, or anything about her, yet, in one glance, he is already hooked.

He's never felt so strongly about someone like this before, especially a stranger, but she was different. He needed to get to know her.

"Hey, Nathaniel." Nate looked over at Chuck. "Who's that girl over there?" Chuck tilted his head towards the mystery girl's direction.

After one long glance, Nate shrugged. "I don't know. She looks familiar though. I thought it was Blair at first until I saw her eyes." _And her cleavage_.

Chuck scowled in disgust. "That's gross." He patted Nate's back, "Anyway, I'm going to go over there. Have fun." He speaks over the music and makes his way towards his mystery woman.

* * *

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Elisa turns around and is shocked to find a smirking Chuck behind her.

Elisa smiles casually, but just as shyly, figuring he knew who she was, "Hi."

"You're truly a Goddess, aren't you?" He speaks seductivley as he takes her hand and places a gentle kiss upon her knuckles. If it weren't for the many bracelets given to her by Serena, Chuck would have known instantly who he was flirting with.

Elisa had never blushed so hard before in her life. She knows for a fact Chuck does not recognize her. If he knew just exactly who he was talking to, he would never say such words to her without gagging.

"Goddess? Me? No." Elisa chuckled uncomfortably.

"Oh, yes." Chuck's smirked deepened, "You're quite exquisite."

Elisa sighed, looking down at her hands, interlacing her fingers together. Oh, how she wishes she had never came.

"Oh, you flatter me." she spoke awkwardly. Not meeting his eyes.

Blair passed by the two of them in a hurry, but stopped when she recognized the dress and who the girl in the dress was speaking to.

She looked between the two of them, rolled her eyes, and tilted her head back as she grumbled, "Oh, for heaven's sake." Then she took off again, going back to what she was doing.

Chuck scowled, having to have noticed that. "That was strange. Even for Blair," he remarked. Turning his attention back to Elisa he smiled sinfully, "So, what's your name, beautiful?"

"Um," said Elisa, "that's not important."

His dark eyes never left her face as he asked her, "How is your name not important? I'm very curious. If it helps to know, I'm Chuck Bass...but I bet you already knew that." he smirked again.

 _Oh, you have no idea_ , Elisa thought. She shook her head, "Trust me. It doesn't matter who I am."

Chuck shrugged, "It's okay. I like playing games. So, I take it you go to Constance?"

"Um, sort of." Elisa mumbled as she glanced around the ball room looking for somebody, anybody capable of helping her out of this situation. Technically she hadn't gone to Constance yet, but she will eventually.

As tough as it is to admit it to herself, Elisa did think Chuck looked quite handsome with his spiked hair and insane outfit. It suited him, in a way.

"I would as what that meant but I feel like that's a long story kind of answer, isn't it?"

Elisa laughed, "Pretty much."

Walking by them, a familiar blond catches Elisa's eye. Without thinking she grab's the blonde's wrist. "Jenny, hi! Can we talk, please?" Elisa's eyes meet Jenny's bright blue ones and she pleads with her to pull her away from Chuck.

She knew it was Jenny instantly because there are only two tall blonds that she knew of. Plus, she knew Jenny would probably find a way to sneak herself in here. It wasn't that hard to figure out.

Jenny looks down at the gown, immediately recognizing it. She looks at Chuck, then Elisa's pleading eyes. She tugs her arm away from Elisa gently. She gives her a fake apologetic smile, "Sorry. Kind of in a hurry." and with that she walks off.

Chuck barked out a laugh. "Trying to get away from me, I see?"

"Psh, no," Elisa denied. "Just needed to talk her, but I guess she didn't want to talk to me," she spat in annoyance.

She knew Jenny would be a little irritated with her being invited and Jenny not, but she didn't think she'd just leave her with Chuck like that. Especially after what he did to her!

* * *

 _Go_ _ssip Girl: Oh, yes! It is by far my favorite part of the ball! When the masks come off and the truth comes out for all to see._

* * *

Chuck Bass wasn't an idiot. He had figured out who she was the moment she began talking. He can tell by the movement of the way she talked, her voice, and the way she kept looking down and blushing.

He was surprised, no doubt. He didn't expect to see her here. For one; freshmen usually aren't invited, and two; he didn't expect to see her making any Center breaks anytime soon. Especially to a place like this. He knew parties weren't her sort of thing.

Chuck couldn't believe how beautiful she truly is though. He hadn't ever thought to look at her in that way. He always saw her as a friend's younger sister. Just the little girl who had problems with herself. Now, he can't seem to continue to look at her in that light anymore.

"Do I know you at all?" he teased. He liked seeing her squirm under his watchful gaze. He wondered why she didn't just tell him who she was, then he realized it's probably an insecurity thing of hers. None of that stopped him from flirting with her though. He can't help it, she's gorgeous.

What she says next shocks him, "No, not really. I'm not that popular or a big deal."

Chuck scowled. He tried to hide his irritation the best he could, "Well you must be if you're here. Not just _anybody_ gets invited to these types of things, you know."

"I'm just here because of my sister." he saw her eyes widen and realized she must have blurted that out without thinking.

Chuck glared at her. "I doubt it. Blair Waldorf doesn't just invite people because of their relations."

* * *

It took everything in Elisa not to roll her eyes at him. If he knew who she was then he would understand her point of view on things. Of course Blair wasn't going to leave out her best friend's little sister. It was most likely Serena's idea in the first place.

Elisa isn't one to feel bad about herself, honestly. She just accepts the truth of where she stands in this world.

Shaking her head slowly, she said, "I've got to go." she turned to walk away but Chuck caught her hand.

"Just one dance." he whispers in her ear. She feels his hot breath down her neck and she sighs to herself. _One dance couldn't hurt..._

She nods her head and allows Chuck to bring her to the dance floor. A slow song comes on, causing the two of them to stare at each other awkwardly for a moment, before Chuck takes the initiative and grabs her hand and lets his free hand pull her around the waist. She drops her other hand on his shoulder as they both sigh in sync, feeling the warmth and comfort within each other.

They dance beautifully together as the song goes on. Neither of them notice the change of songs and that continues on for quite sometime. They danced and laughed when she would accidentally step on his foot, not used to dancing at all with a partner.

It wasn't until the clock stroke twelve, that the magic between the two of them broke. Elisa noticed Serena run passed her in a hurry. She looks in the direction of her sister in worry, before glancing back at Chuck for a brief moment.

She whispers to him softly, "I'm sorry, I have to go...Good-bye, Chuck." her eyes catch his lips for a moment, but she thinks more clearly, then turns on her heel. She was gone instantly. She shivered, missing the warmth of his arms wrapped around her.

* * *

He watches her hurry away. Her dark curls bouncing behind her as she wanders off. He didn't miss the way she looked at him. He knew she wanted to kiss him. And oh, how he wanted to kiss her too.

 _Damn Serena._

* * *

As Elisa chased after Serena, she stopped in her tracks when finding, the real Serena talking with Dan.

 _Dan? What's he doing here?_ Elisa thought in confusion. Her hand made it's way to her forehead and she sighed. This has been the messiest night.

And she doesn't even know the worst of it all.

* * *

As Chuck, Nate, and an irritated Blair, exit the ball and head to the limo, Chuck spoke up.

"Why did you invite Little van der Woodsen?" He asked Blair in a voice a little above a whisper.

Blair shrugged her shoulders, "Serena asked me to. Plus I figured it's the least I can do after the mixer mess."

Chuck blinked, letting her words sink in. He stopped her from walking and asked her quickly, "If Elisa wasn't Serena's sister...would you have ever invited her to any of your parties?"

He didn't know why he was asking this or why he really cared. He just did. He always seemed to just care for her and he doesn't understand _why._

Blair rolled her eyes, "You're not a fool, Chuck. Elisa isn't like any of us. She can't handle the pressure of our world. She-"

Chuck glared down at Blair, "If I were you I would hope to God that Serena never heard you say that."

Blair shrugged again, irritation clear in her voice now, "It's true, and Serena knows it deep down. Besides what do you care, Chuck? You've _never_ paid an ounce of attention to Elisa in you life. What? Now that you didn't know who she was and now you realize that she's pretty you think she's worthy of your attention? Guess what? Serena wouldn't let you anywhere near Elisa even if you changed your ways, even if you _loved_ her. In everyone else's eyes, you don't deserve her. She's too good for you. The sooner you see that, the sooner you believe it."

Blair walked off and Chuck didn't bother to correct her. He just glared at her back as she went and fought with Nate.

* * *

 _It looks like Chuck's a little lost without his mystery girl? Where oh where can Cinderella be? She's not too far away, Chuck._

 _You know you love me._

 _Xoxo,_

 _Gossip Girl_


End file.
